Host Plant Resistance as a Component to Organic Pest Management in Vegetable Crops

Abstract

Host plant resistance (HPR) to insect pests is an underutilized pest management strategy in vegetable production. Increased pressures to reduce pesticides and changes in technology now enhance the economic viability and probable role of HPR in vegetable insect pest management. This is reflected in the relatively recent release of several insect-resistant varieties and breeding lines. The attention of HPR to insect pests now receives in extension publications are also increasing. Opportunities are available to improve research and extension documentation to assist producers in making better use of the available resistance to insect pests in vegetable crops. In the short term, existing varieties can be screened more extensively and quantitative information can be provided to producers. In the long term, variety of specific recommendations for the use of recommended insecticides and other management tactics in conjunction with HPR to insect pests will be beneficial. Awareness of varietal susceptibility to insect pests will increase the incentives to private breeders to eliminate extremely susceptible material from their breeding programmes. Support for the research necessary to exploit HPR to insect pests in vegetables will be required from public sources, as part of the alternatives to pesticides and from private breeders and producers who stand to benefit from the development of variety-specific recommendations and impartial comparison of varieties.